The Shadow King and The Orange Crow
by PotatoWater
Summary: The Shadow of the Great King, Kageyama Tobio is a boy who is hated among his kingdom. As the present king, he is under the threat of frequent attempted assassinations, however; When he has a Knight with the nickname 'The Orange Crow', it is easy to avoid death. Although they seem like the perfect team, it is unknown to everybody that these two boys hold dark pasts.
1. Chapter 1 - Protect

**These two are impossibly adorable so I'm just gonna... leave this fic here. **

**Where Kageyama is the King and Hinata is his Knight, but if you think that's all there is to it, you are sorely mistaken.**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own these characters- They are too brilliant to be mine *sigh***

**Rated M for Violence and Language (for now)**

* * *

"We get a shit load of money with this job done." One soldier told the others, trying to convince them to go through with the plan.

"There's a reason the King isn't dead yet, you know! Haven't you heard of 'The Orange Crow'?" Another argued, having a couple of the other soldiers nodding in acknowledgement.

"Of course I've heard of him but you can't believe in that stupid story. It has bullshit written all over it." The first soldier stood his ground, driven by his thirst for wealth.

"Yeah, but even if the crow doesn't exist, it can't be that easy. We'd get slaughtered for sure."

"Look, are you in or are you out?" the disagreeing soldiers looked at each other and after a minute, they all gave a firm nod in agreement.

"Alright, we move in tonight. Just tell the guards that there's something going on out front, that'll distract them for a bit." They all gave another nod and dispersed back to their positions.

* * *

In the throne room, King Kageyama Tobio was sitting and looking through a document he had been given earlier. He was tired of this – he never wanted to be King in the first place but he can't do anything about it. And if he was going to be King, he was going to be damn good at it. As he was in the middle of a long yawn, there was a sudden loud opening of the throne room door and he frowned, staring at the half dozen soldiers standing before him with weapons wielded. He knew this was coming at some point, but did they have to choose this time? The displeasure of being unable to finish a yawn was the worst and left him with a feeling in his throat that made him uncomfortable for hours.

"You have the worst possible timing to come here." Kageyama stated, not moving from his throne but placing the document aside.

"We have come to kill you, Shadow King" the seemingly lead soldier called out, the others shouting in approval.

"Oh are you? You men have guts to come here when you know that it's impossible to defy me." The raven-haired young boy kept up his strong front as the king.

"Yes and your guards won't be coming. You have nowhere to run and no one to protect you.

"I see. Well, aren't you going to kill me then? You seem to know the consequences of going against me so I'm sure you all have a death wish."

"Don't act so high and mighty. You may be the King but you are the Shadow of a much greater King. There are people other than us who want you dead and we will get vengeance."

"Then you can go ahead." Kageyama gritted out through clenched teeth, starting to get pissed off at these soldie- ah, he meant 'traitors'.

The soldiers ran at the direction of the throne but the men at front stopped, seeing something from the corner of their eyes. After a push from the others, they were about to continue but there was an orange and black flash from above them and they froze as something landed in the middle of the group. Before they could even move toward the mysterious flying object, they fell with loud thumps which resonated throughout the room. There, still in battle position with knives at the ready and a blank face, was 'The Orange Crow'; Hinata Shōyō.

"Don't you dare hurt the King" The short young boy muttered under his breath as he straightened up and turned to the King. He was about to bow when he noticed that he was still holding a knife and so he placed his knives back in place, pulling them out of the lifeless soldiers. He came over to the King and bowed, holding one hand over his heart

"What the hell are you doing Shōyō, why must you always overdo things?" Kageyama sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. Every. Time."

"It's how I do things!" Hinata shouted, the Knight mask disappearing and turning back to the normal jumping ball of energy that Kageyama knows. This side was only shown to the King, the humanity of Hinata Shōyō was not easily seen.

"You show off too much. Did you know that they call you 'The Orange Crow'? The King's right hand who will only show himself if the King doesn't plan for you to live." This got a wide grin from the Knight.

"Yes, I'm aware~ Sounds cool doesn't it?"

"It sounds stupid. And I told you not to call me 'King', it creeps me out!"

"Sorry, sorry but I like playing the part of the 'King's Knight', you know?" This made the King sigh but then he gestured to the lifeless soldiers.

"You killed them?"

"Yep, they tried to hurt you..."

"Very well then, just... I'll get someone to dispose of the bodies. Come here for a second."

The Knight rolled his eyes, walking over to the throne.

"I'm not hurt, I don't get hurt." Hinata protests stubbornly as the King looked him over for wounds like he does every time this happens.

"I'm just checking." Kageyama stated with a stern tone, stopping the other from continuing the argument. Once the taller boy was satisfied with the lack of injuries, he gave a firm nod and ruffled the Knight's hair.

"Good Job."

"As long as someone wants to kill you, I'll do my job as King's Knight. Although, ever since _somebody _let one of the men go, assassination attempts don't occur as often since they're scared of the King's Crow."

"I did it for exactly that reason; less attempted assassinations."

"Yeah, yeah, I can take 'em." The shorter boy declared confidently.

"I'm sure you can Shōyō, however, I do _not _want you hurt so this is a better alternative... also, I dislike having to clean up after. It's a pain."

"Hey, I'm not the one paying people to kill you."

"They want me dead because they think I killed the previous 'Great King', who also happens to be my father, just so I could have the crown." The raven-haired boy explained, his tone going low with annoyance.

"But you didn't. Why can't people just understand this?" Hinata asked with a whine.

"You don't know how the world works, do you?" Hinata pouted and turned his head away.

"It's not like I had anyone to tell me, Shadow King." Kageyama's face softened, despite the nickname and he ruffled the other's hair once again although, maybe a little to roughly this time but it didn't seem to bother the shorter boy.

"Well now you do, idiot." Hinata looked down and nodded, a small sad smile showing on his face.

"So, I'll get out of here and let someone take care of... that." Hinata explained, pointing to the pile of bodies. Kageyama looked over to them, wondering how Hinata did that. Killing a bunch of people and acting as if nothing happened. He would call him a monster but he just couldn't. He always thinks back to the young version of him, the same age as himself but more broken than any broken toy he he'd ever owned as a child; although, this was a boy, a boy who used to be hopeless and hurt. Even so, Kageyama wanted to fix him and make him feel happiness again.

"Yeah, I'll come up to the room later. I need to keep an eye on everything here for a bit though."

"Yeah, yeah, I'll be in the room if you need me. Don't have any fun without me Tobio." Kageyama blinked at the recently new use of his first name but smirked.

"Of course." Kageyama shooed the other away and the red-head rolled his eyes, doing as he was told. When the shorter man was gone, the raven-haired king looked over to the bodies- each containing a knife mark to the heart.

"He's gotten faster." the King muttered to himself before he called a surprised guard from outside and Kageyama wondered where they had been this whole time. Some men got rid of the bodies and the King went back to his work as if nothing had occurred, earning some whispers from the guards. He heard them call him 'The Shadow King' and 'heartless'; 'arrogant' seemed to be their favourite.

_If only they knew_

* * *

_There was only black surrounding Hinata's vision and nothing else. He stood in one spot, searching for a way out and wondering where he was. All of a sudden, he heard a familiar scream. It was agonised and desperate, piercing the red-head's heart and ears like an arrow. He ran toward the sound of the high-pitched screams, only to reach a door. It was an old, wooden door that was painfully familiar. The screeching and wailing only got more intense and Hinata tried his best to get the door open but just like before, he was too weak._

_"Natsu, I'm here, just hang in there! I'll save you, I swear. I swear it!" the short boy shouted, hearing his rough voice resonate throughout the darkness. He pounded and scratched the door, his hands and fingers bleeding and filled with splinters but he didn't care about the pain. He needed to get to his little sister and that was his first priority. Suddenly, as he pounded on the door once more, he was hurled forward and through the door as though it had been opened just before he touched it. Suddenly, he was in a memorable room and he was holding a knife in his hand. He saw the backs of a bunch of men who made his body shiver. _

_He then ran forward, about to connect the knife with skin but he was interrupted by a voice that was stronger than everything else going on around him. He froze and listened for it again, wanting to hear it more than anything at this moment. Once again, he heard the call of his name from a soothing male voice and he turned toward where the door used to be, only to see a forest surrounding him. The darkness, the screaming and the men were gone. All that was left was him and the knife. _

_"__Shōyō__" he heard that same voice call him from behind. He wanted to turn around but he couldn't move his body and it frustrated him to no end._

_"I'm here __Shōyō__. I'm here for you, so calm down." The voice called him again. His body immediately stopped tensing and he closed his eyes, feeling warmth spread through his body. He took comfort in this voice... but who was the owner?_

_"__Shōyō__!"_

* * *

Hinata's eyes snapped open to come face-to-face with Kageyama.

"W-what-" the shorter boy tried to speak but his throat felt as though he had eaten sand.

"You're finally awake. You were having another nightmare weren't you?" the raven-haired boy asked as he got up and reached over to get a glass of water for the other. He took the offering and drank all of it, gasping for air as he took the glass away. He cleared his throat and looked at a concerned Kageyama.

"I don't remember..." he lied and the taller boy frowned.

"You were shouting in your sleep again." He informed and Hinata looked down.

"Sorry."

"You don't need to apologise, idiot. Just... you can tell me anything, alright?" the King looked at him with a stern face and the orange-haired boy nodded hesitantly.

"I-I know."

"Well, if you're okay I'll just go to my bed and-" Kageyama was interrupted by a hand on his shirt. He looked to Hinata curiously and saw that his eyes were drooped with a mixture of sleepiness and sadness.

"Shōyō, what is it?" This happened more than it should. The nightmares came to both of them most nights and a lot of the time, the shorter of the two would seek something from Kageyama. Although, neither of them were really sure of what it was and they were left back at the beginning. They slept in the same room so Kageyama could keep an eye on the other boy but the King didn't know what to do for his knight.

"It's nothing." Hinata finally muttered, letting go of Kageyama's shirt. The King knew that the other needed something but what it was is a mystery to him.

"Are you sure, Shōyō?" he asked once again, wanting to know what was bothering the other boy.

"It's fine. I'm…fine." Hinata finally told him and the king frowned.

_Liar. You're lying to me_

"Alright, when you feel like telling me what's wrong, I'll be right over there in my bed. All you have to do is call for me, okay?"

The other boy stared at Kageyama for a few seconds and nodded, probably still not used to being treated with care, even after all this time.

"Okay." Kageyama confirmed and went over to his bed that was across the large room. He lay down in the almost uncomfortably soft bed and listened to Hinata from there on. He would look after this boy with all he had and it didn't matter what they went through. His knight was far too important to him.

* * *

Kageyama's eyes snapped open. He had fallen asleep and the boy across the room was loudly calling his name. He turned his head toward Hinata where he saw the boy continuing to sleep. He got up and walked over the other bed, his name being called another couple of times.

"Shōyō?" he saw the other's face scrunched up with pain.

_Another nightmare?_ Kageyama worried, knowing that even two nightmares in one night was unnatural for Hinata.

He climbed onto the knight's bed and grabbed the boy's shoulders, effectively pinning him down. He also learnt after all of this time that doing this stopped him from screaming and moving about. He lightly chuckled at himself, remembering the days where he hated everyone around him, not caring about anything or anyone. This boy had changed his life, even saved his life, and he loved him. To what extent his love went to, he wasn't sure, but all he knew was that he wanted this boy to be happy. Kageyama refocused his attention on the sleeping body beneath him. He shook him by the shoulders, hoping that the he would wake from his nightmare soon. Suddenly, he was pushed back and hands were on his throat, effectively choking him and his eyes went wide.

"Sh-Shōyō!" he managed to get out, hands flailing to push him back and Hinata's eyes snapped open. They widened as soon as he realised what was happening and his hands were quickly removed.

"Tobio! I am so sorry. Oh my god." The red-head fussed, trying to remember what had made him choke the only person in his life that he was close to. He sat up, watching the King cough and gag to try and catch his bearings.

"I am… I can't believe I did that. I am so sorry." Hinata apologised, not knowing what to do. This had never happened before and he felt his heart sink. Kageyama was the one person he never wanted to hurt but he had just tried to kill him. When he saw the mark on the raven-haired boy's neck his breathing picked up and before he realised, felt breathless and light-headed despite his heavy breathing. He felt tingling in his hands and fingers as he started shaking, his muscles tensing and his heart beating fast.

Kageyama watched as Hinata started hyperventilating and realised that the boy was having a panic attack. He had seen this happen to the other boy multiple times just after Kageyama had lost his parents. Ignoring his own breathing, he tried to think of a way to distract Hinata enough to calm him down. He did what he would normally do to calm the boy during nightmares which was pinning him down at the shoulders and he racked his brain for something to say to him. Something that would work to slow his breathing is all he needed but there wasn't anything around him.

"Shōyō, It's fine just breathe normally. Copy me." Kageyama ordered him as he showed Hinata how he needs to breathe. Hinata tried but he couldn't keep up and the King cursed.

_Something enclosed that can contract... I don't see a bag anywhere, _He tried to find something when he realised he did have something like that. He bought his lips to Hinata's, keeping the knight's mouth open to keep him breathing. Kageyama circulated his breathing to match Hinata's breath intake to the right timing. This way, it both distracted Hinata and circulated his breathing properly. He didn't even think about it- he just wanted to calm Hinata down. After a few minutes, he could hear and feel the Knight's breathing normalise and he took his mouth away, seeing Hinata's face stained with tears.

"Are you okay now?" He asked gently, scared to startle the boy.

"Y-yeah, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to do that. I was asleep and there was someone there trying to- and I just needed to- I'm sorry." Hinata sobbed, clutching to Kageyama.

"Shh, it's okay Shōyō, you didn't mean to do it. I forgive you." He cradled the boy and ran one of his hands through the orange silk that was Hinata's hair.

"You don't hate me?" The knight asked, taking comfort in Kageyama's warmth.

"Of course I don't hate you. I'll stay with you so let's get some proper sleep, okay?"

The other boy nodded but surprised Kageyama with a chaste kiss and he froze.

"Thank you Tobio..." Hinata offered to the taller boy before he closed his eyes and nuzzled into Kageyama's neck. To say that the King was surprised was an understatement; however, he smiled a little and ignored the pain in his neck. He would protect this boy till the day he died.

_For the first time in weeks, Hinata and Kageyama didn't have nightmares._

* * *

**There is the first chapter. ****Sorry; it's rough around the edges and I am horrible with grammar and punctuation. **It's actually a trial fic so if you guys want more then please inform me with a review or PM. Thanks for reading!~


	2. Chapter 2 - Trust

**I finally updated. The reviews cheered me on to finish it today~ I hope you guys enjoy it!**

**Disclaimer: I wish I owned the character but I don't- Although- it's probably good that I don't since they wouldn't be as perfect**

* * *

Kageyama awoke to an unfamiliar sensation that originated from his aching neck, making its way to his spine, sending tingles throughout his body. He felt warm and more comfortable than normal, although one of his arms felt a little numb. His tired eyes fluttered open to find Hinata laying with him, the shorter boy resting on his arm and his head was leaning on his chest. Their legs were tangled together and the sensation on his neck was an open-eyed Hinata caressing the mark that was temporarily stained there from last night's incident.

"Shōyō?" Kageyama called to the Knight gently in wonder of what the boy was doing and Hinata's eyes just avoided looking at the King. He was about to continue his question, however, the shorter boy interrupted before he could.

"Why do you put up with me?" Hinata asked, surprising the King with a depressed tone that he hadn't heard in a long while.

"What do you mean?" he retaliated with a question, wanting to know why his knight was acting like this again.

"I hear everyone. They call me a monster and they say I shouldn't be in this world; that I shouldn't exist and that don't exist. So... how is it that you don't think the same, or d-do you? Am I a monster?" As Hinata expressed his feelings through continuous questioning, tears filling up his eyes and Kageyama's heart dropped at the boy's words.

"Why are you asking this all of a sudden?" He enquired, having something (not exactly) like this come from Hinata before, but it was a while back. He had thought they'd made progress.

"Y-your neck…" The boy brushed the red mark gently and held back a sob. "I didn't mean to- I never wanted you hurt and yet… _I hurt you._" A tear ran down Hinata's cheek and Kageyama sighed, wondering how this boy was so dense. He never seemed to get things through his orange head.

"You are _not _a monster, okay? You were asleep and you were protecting yourself. Were you trying to kill me in your dream?" Kageyama asked, knowing the answer before the words even left his mouth.

"No! No, I would never-" The King cut him off before he could finish.

"Exactly, you didn't want to hurt me. You were just trying to protect yourself and it just happened unconsciously. You are not a monster, no matter what you've heard from others. I don't hate you and I will_ never_ hate you."

"E-Even after all I've done to you? Not just last night but… that one night, how are you not angry with me?" Hinata let out a sob, clutching tighter onto the King's shirt. Kageyama froze for a second at the mention of _that night. _He took a deep breath and took hold of Hinata's chin, making the boy face him.

"What happened that night is nobody's fault and you protected me. _Nobody is at fault_." He comforted his knight, speaking his mind (not only to the boy in front of him but himself as well) and pulling Hinata closer. Both boys had a sense of déjà vu as _this _part had happened before as well; the shorter boy feeling immense guilt and shaking in the arms of the King. The raven-haired boy would do this for as long as he had to; after all…

_I need to see his smile again._

* * *

When the King finally exited their room, dressed in his formal attire, he had a silent knight trailing after him. On this floor, there were only two people who served him; only two people whom he trusted and they were the only other people who knew the truth of his past. No one however, knew of Hinata's past which is why Kageyama had always questioned what his nightmares had held but it was never revealed to him.

The orange-haired knight wasn't usually troubled during the day; the King knowing him to be like he had acted the day before; competitive and energetic. It seemed though, that the redhead wouldn't forgive himself yet for the incident that occurred last night, even if Kageyama had already forgiven him.

When they reached the end of the hall, they were met by one of the two who served on this floor; Koushi Sugawara, Suga for short. The man was standing near the dining room door, holding it open for the two, clearly having been waiting for them to arrive.

"Good Morning Kageyama, Hinata. Did you guys sleep well last ni- Kageyama, what happened to your neck?" Suga asked, rushing over to the King.

"I'm fine Suga-san, there was just a small incident; nothing to worry about." the raven-haired young man replied quickly and brushed him off, knowing that Hinata was still sensitive at the moment. Sugawara seemed to notice the condition that the redhead was currently in and he gave a nod, motioning them to enter the dining room once again. The two entered, the white-haired man following. There on the dining table was a beautifully laid out breakfast as usual and he sat down at the head of the table, having Hinata sit next to him. The knight seemed to brighten as he saw the food, always becoming child-like when it came to Daichi's cooking. The said man walked into the room from the kitchen with a smile on his face.

"Kageyama, Hinata! You're finally up. I thought the food would get cold; I was about to get Suga to wake you guys up." He scolded, walking over to the butler and slinging his arm over the white-haired man's shoulder. It was a normal thing between the two close men, who had apparently been together since they were young. Kageyama watched as Suga whispered something into the other man's ear. Daichi's gaze hovered over to the King. Kageyama knew that he had been checking for the red mark that Hinata had left on his neck and Suga had most likely warned the chef not to mention it. He looked over to Hinata but luckily, the boy was too engrossed in the food in front of him like always. No matter how long he had stayed in the castle with the King, he would never get tired of Daichi's food. After all, Kageyama had also missed the chef's cooking since the man hadn't started cooking for him until quite recently. Daichi had simply been a kitchen assistant for the previous chef of his father. However, it had been discovered by the assistant that when Kageyama had come into rule with the rumour of him killing his own father, the chef was planning to poison the food. Daichi had stopped the ex-chef and lost trust in his boss and he went on leave for a while, only having returned recently where he became the primary chef.

"Shōyō, let's eat," He watched as the knight dug in, seeming to feel better with food in front of him, and the King looked toward the two men that were talking with each other in hushed whispers. "You two can leave now, I'll be staying up here today and I know you had something planned for this morning."

"You know everything don't you, Kageyama? We'll come back around lunch for you so Daichi can cook a _super _delicious lunch, right?" Daichi nodded his head in agreement after Suga had finished speaking and with a final goodbye, they closed door behind them and left. The raven-haired boy could only guess what they had gone to do, but he told himself that he probably didn't want to know. He didn't want them here today, knowing that Hinata was not comfortable with other people even if it was those two. He finally dug into his breakfast with enthusiasm; he was famished after all the incidents that had occurred in the past day. As he ate, he could feel the ache of his neck as he swallowed but he ignored it.

_This is nothing._

* * *

During the day, Kageyama worked on paperwork; memorising documents he needed to be familiar with for future events. Hinata mostly stared into space, seeming to be deep in thought. The King glanced to his Knight every few minutes and hoped that he'd finally get a word out of the boy. He wanted to know everything about Hinata but it had been so difficult after everything that had happened. The raven-haired boy never wanted to push the other to speak… he wanted the boy to trust him completely.

_And he will trust me completely. I will not allow otherwise, _Kageyama thought as a silent demand to his own mind. As he was trapped in thoughts of the future, he slightly jumped when a voice pierced through the long-living silence.

"I wonder what would have happened if I had never met you, Tobio." Hinata enquired and Kageyama was disturbed by the thought of not having the shorter boy in his life.

"Why would you be thinking about that? There is no point in thinking about an impossible alternate. You met me and that isn't going to change," He stated simply without looking to the knight until after several seconds. "And if we hadn't met… that wouldn't be a life I want to think about let alone live through. I'd probably have died if it were like that anyway." At that, Hinata's eyes widened and they were caught in each other's gazes.

"I don't like that thought." The Knight finally admitted in a small voice, although it was loud enough for Kageyama to hear and he unwillingly felt a rush of content that the shorter boy had an aversion to the thought of his death.

"We won't think about alternates then Shōyō. All _you _need to do is learn to trust me with your life as I trust you with mine." He stated as he went back to his work. He didn't get an answer from Hinata but he didn't need one and they sat in a comfortable silence.

_I will get him to trust me completely._

* * *

Just before noon, the two servants returned from wherever they had disappeared to. The men were smiling as they walked in and the King couldn't help but notice their dishevelled appearances. They had knocked on the door and broken through the silence that the two boys had been consumed in for the past few hours. He noticed that Hinata had jumped a little due to the sudden noise as well; making the raven-head wonder if he had even noticed the time pass. Kageyama on the other hand had finished memorising the documents and had just been reading a book chosen from his father's collection. All of the books containing information on the kingdom were now in his (and Hinata's) room and since he was King now, he couldn't leave out any details. He wouldn't become an unfit king to his people and it didn't matter to him if they liked him or not.

_A King who does not care for his people should not be King at all._ He had learnt this from his father, or well, it had been Daichi who had passed the saying on to him.

Speaking of the chef, Kageyama decided to follow the older men to the kitchen, leaving Hinata in the room. The orange-haired boy didn't seem to mind; he didn't even seem to notice the movement or the absence of the King. They had reached the dining room and made their way to the kitchen door where Kageyama called out to Daichi to ask to speak with him and Suga.

"What is it, Kageyama?" Suga asked with concern, hoping to squeeze an explanation out of the King regarding the still-nasty, red mark on his neck.

"I want you to make a really nice dessert tonight. I know that Shōyō has a sweet tooth so maybe it'll lift his mood a bit more. Your food really does the trick to cheer people up." The King stated truthfully, knowing that the Knight loves the taller man's cooking.

"That's good to hear. Of course I'll make a dessert- I might just make a cake if you'd like." The well-built male replied with a broad smile, glad that the King seemed to be better since this morning- mood-wise. The King agreed to the offer of a cake and he turned he let out a long breath, thinking he should warn them since Hinata wasn't present.

"He seems much better compared to this morning, surprisingly- I think he's in a bit of shock from what happened last night so just try not to startle him."

"Kageyama, I don't want to be nosy but… what _did _happen last night?" the white-haired man asked the King carefully, not wanting to push any boundaries. Even though the raven-haired boy respected and was close to the two, he still knew that Kageyama was not one to annoy at the moment. He had enough to worry about lately. The royal sighed at the question and shook his head lightly.

"It was just a small incident. Shōyō accidently grabbed my throat in his sleep, obviously under the illusion that I was someone else. All he was doing was protecting himself and I don't resent him for that. He woke up when I shook him and he had a panic attack; I handled it and we're fine. As I said, he's just probably in shock; also, he hasn't had a panic attack in a long while so it must have been disheartening." Kageyama explained to them and he watched their faces turn from shock to understanding.

_And just as we had progressed so far, he's back to his silent stage._

"Just be careful and make sure you don't mention anything about it." He finished off and the two men nodded, agreeing with the order. Kageyama was grateful that he had Daichi and Sugawara here. They were basically like family to him and he wanted Hinata to think of them as the same.

_Shōyō needs this as much as I do._

* * *

Daichi had informed the two boys that instead of a '_super _delicious lunch', dinner would be earlier. Kageyama and Hinata settled for a small snack as Daichi worked on everything. When all was done, everything smelt amazing and even Kageyama was looking forward to the wonderful-smelling dinner. Daichi's food would always be the best. As they sat down to a large feast which reached all of the required food groups for healthy, still-growing men. When the two boys sat at the table, the King motioned for the two older men to sit down with them; an offer that they accepted.

Suga, Daichi and Kageyama watched in amusement as Hinata dug in to the gourmet food and the King swore he had seen the shorter boy sparkle for a second but he shook it off, knowing that that was hardly possible. He ate as Suga and Daichi spoke of the morning they spent together; walking around the morning market and messing about like they had as kids.

"Is that why your clothes were like that when you got back?" Kageyama asked teasingly and he watched both of them blush. They ate the rest of their food in silence, Hinata being the first to finish having not left one spot of food left on the plate. After the rest had cleared their plates as well, they noticed Hinata looking different from usual. He seemed as though he was embarrassed. After a while of sitting in silence, the small voice of Hinata broke through the stillness.

"I-I just wanted to say that dinner was really delicious Daichi-san…" the Knight was looking down the whole time and Kageyama's eyes widened as a blush was shown on Hinata's cheeks. The orange-haired boy had never spoken clearly to anyone but Kageyama (well, he spoke _very clearly_ to bodies but… they were dead already so they weren't exactly able to hear him). Both Daichi and Sugawara were obviously surprised at the boy as well, having frozen as they stared at him. "Ah, and not just lunch but… before that; I haven't been thanking you for such amazing food." Kageyama watched as Hinata looked up, presenting a wide smile and his chest fluttered at the sight. He couldn't help but smile himself, knowing that they were finally making progress.

_Finally, after a long time of pain and building trust… he's finally getting comfortable._

Daichi smiled widely at this, after having gotten over his surprise; the boy's words had made him extremely happy. He loved making food people enjoyed and it was nice to have the long-known albeit quiet boy to praise him so boldly.

"It's my pleasure! In fact, Kageyama told me that you have a sweet tooth, would you like some cake?" He watched in delight as Hinata jumped up and made a sound that he found extremely amusing (1) and it sounded as though the Knight loved food. _I knew this before but… well; I guess Daichi hasn't been here for a long while so he must not have liked the food as much before… well, it's not like he ate very much before. _

He covered the bottom half of his face as Suga looked over to him, seemingly interested in the fact that the King had been smiling. He watched as the chef stood up and walked into the kitchen to decorate the cake as it had most likely cooled down by now. Kageyama had to admit that he definitely preferred it when everything was like this; where Hinata was able to be the boy he once was and where it felt like a small family. It was memories like this that he needed in his life.

_If only it could stay like this._

* * *

**1) You guys know that amazing sound that Hinata makes when he's really happy or excited. 'Ooohh!'**

**Sorry, I took my sweet fucking time writing this and I feel bad- I couldn't write much when I decided to and yeah. I finished this with a concussion so please inform me if there are mistakes... don't get concussions btw guys- my head hurts and yours would too. Anyway, I hope you guys like it.**


	3. Chapter 3 - Sacrifice

**Hello, I have finished another chapter! Yes, it's finally done. I am so shit with story writing sometimes. I actually finished it two days ago but I had so much shit to do. There are two more characters introduced and some OC's for a bit. I hope you guys like it. **

**Disclaimer- I do not own these characters because I wasn't able to steal them. I mean, I'm stuck in Australia so; I'm pretty much useless on this hot hell of a big-ass island- please save me. I miss the cold T^T**

* * *

Kageyama was happy; for the first time in a long while, Kageyama was happy because Hinata was smiling and _talking. _Not just with him or someone trying to hurt them, but with Daichi and Suga, and the King didn't really know the reason _why _the orange-haired boy had changed his ways tonight but he wasn't going to think about that. Daichi had mostly been talking about cooking and baking which the Knight seemed interested in.

_But to be honest…_

Kageyama was feeling a little hesitant with Hinata finally talking with other people. _What if he talks with people that could hurt him? What if he is taken? What if he leaves of his own volition when he doesn't need me anymore?_

The thoughts continued to attack Kageyama's mind and he sighed, massaging areas of his face that had been aching from sleep deprivation. It wasn't always easy to share the same room with Hinata, but he wanted to look after the Knight with all that he has. He was glad… but he was also worried. He had seen the boy when he was happy, when he was hurt, when he was going through the worst time of his life and he didn't want it to happen again. He felt that if something like that happened another time, it would only be worse now; like reopening a wound and making it larger.

"Why don't you two go to bed? The King and his Knight do need their sleep." Suga offered softly, smiling at the two and Kageyama knew that the man had been worried about the two lately. Nodding lightly, he stood and Hinata followed the motion; pushing their chairs in and wishing a good night, they left to their room. It was silent as the two undressed and got into clothes suitable for sleeping and they retired to their separate beds; or well… Kageyama did but he realised the redhead was staring at him as he walked.

"Shōyō?" he enquired, wondering why there was an almost disappointed look on the other's face. The sounds seemed to snap Hinata out of whatever trance he had been in and he shook his head, muttering a quiet "goodnight."

The King just stared as the other climbed into bed and watched as the boy gripped his own sheets. Kageyama noticed that Hinata was _scared. _He got out of bed and walked over, looking down at the boy in front of him; the other staring back.

"You're scared to fall asleep… aren't you?" He guessed, knowing exactly how he felt.

"I… I finally spoke with someone else today; Suga-san and Daichi-san are so kind and I had a really… normal and nice time with them. Now suddenly, I have to go back to sleep where I'll be plagued with more nightmares… I don't want that." Hinata explained and the raven-haired male nodded in understanding.

"Well you still need to sleep…" Kageyama muttered mostly to himself in thought, staring at the other as he tried to come up with a solution to the boy's fear of going back to sleep. He had been like that for a little while; afraid to fall asleep and afraid to lose anything that he enjoyed in the real world. He thought back to last night and how they didn't have nightmares when they fell asleep together. Now, in normal circumstances Kageyama was sure he would have been embarrassed by something like this but the only thing on his mind; the only thing that had ever been on his mind lately was Hinata's safety.

And so, with that in mind; Kageyama climbed into the Knight's bed and turned off the lamp.

"Tobio- what-?" the other asked, sounding a little panicked but the raven-haired boy just re-arranged the blanket so that it was covering both of them properly.

"Sleep." The King commanded and he saw the other calm down and settle in the sheets. They lay there for a little while and he could tell that the other wasn't asleep yet either; hearing the heavy, unsteady breathing that could rival his own. The silence was then pierced with the Knight's voice.

"Thank you for today. I couldn't have made it this far without you."

The King couldn't help but smile slightly and he turned to face Hinata.

"It wasn't me who got you this far; it was you, although, you shouldn't have to be going through this in the first place."

"But I am… and if you hadn't found me that day; I wouldn't be alive and I just wanted to thank you for that."

This stunned Kageyama for a second; not only did that sound similar to what he had said earlier that day, but it was the fact that Hinata was admitting that living was better than death. A while ago, the boy probably would have chosen death over living any time which was one of the reasons he was continuously with the boy all day. He had still been worried about just how suicidal the Knight was; if he still even had those thoughts. Although, Kageyama felt a weight lift off of his shoulders and he let out a deep breath of relief.

"Why do you look so happy about that?" Hinata asked, frowning at the other but the King just shook his head and ruffled the boy's hair. He saw the other pout at the 'secrets' raven-haired male was keeping but he got over it quickly, eyes starting to droop with sleepiness.

"Goodnight, Shōyō."

Before the redhead could answer, he heard the once unsteady breathing become level and not long after, he fell into a deep slumber.

_If only that were a good thing._

* * *

When Hinata awoke, he was expecting warmth and the King sleeping soundly next to him. What he wasn't expecting was a man looking down at him and a sword at his throat, which was currently his situation. His eyes widened as he looked to the side, finding Kageyama thankfully still alive, however he was standing across the room- a man holding him up with a sword at his throat as well. Honestly for a second, the Knight thought he was dreaming and he blinked his eyes a few times. He then realised when the pain of the sharp metal piercing the skin at his throat that this was in fact, not a nightmare and that this was really happening. With that, he frowned and anger swam through him, causing him to clench his fists and grit his teeth.

_They want to kill Tobio. I will not allow this to happen again; not to him, not now. I can still do something about this._

The Knight looked around the room once again, finding that there were four men in total; one next to him, one holding Kageyama and two at the door. He had one knife under his pillow and he was unable to move at the moment.

"Don't move or we'll slice the King right here and now in front of you. You too Shadow King, we can easily kill this one." The man near him addressed them both and the words just continued to anger Hinata.

"Why don't you just slice my throat now?" Kageyama asked, trying not to sound as panicked as one would in this kind of situation.

"Because we would prefer you alive- only torture and pain awaits you, _your majesty _for killing our comrades last time_._" The one holding a sword to Kageyama spoke up, speaking in a condescending tone that would have further angered Hinata… if not for the panic that washed through him.

_No, don't take Tobio, please. Not again; they can't do this to him- please take me instead. Please…_

"Take me in his place." All eyes were on him as he spoke, not knowing when he had decided to say them but he couldn't find it in himself to regret the words.

"Shōyō n-"

"I'm sorry; Tobio… you don't deserve this," He interrupted the King and before Kageyama could argue, he spoke toward the man next to him." Take me instead- please if you are going to take someone away and torture them until they scream for death, just take me in the King's place. I know why you want the King dead but I… I have killed for him- I have killed everyone that has come near the King and _I _was the one who killed your comrades."

_I've killed so many- you don't even know._

As he said the last sentence, he could feel blood trickling down his neck, indicating that he had angered the man near him. Now it was a matter of them killing him here and now, or taking him with them- _or…_

_I still have a chance to turn this around._

Although he had been serious about sacrificing himself, he'd much prefer to stay here and protect the King himself. He didn't really care what happened now though, as long as they didn't hurt Kageyama.

"I'll come with you as long as you leave the King alone."

"We could just kill him and take you or the other way 'round."

_Damn it._

"Are you sure you want to make the decision of killing an innocent man, and the King at that. If he dies, the Kingdom will fall without his support and there will be chaos- there's no heir. People will die; do you really want that?" Hinata spoke, the words spilling out of his mouth in desperation of having this going his way.

"You brat, you don't get to talk to-" one of the men near the door shouted but the man who was still holding a sword at his throat cut in.

"Shut up damn it! I have a family; do you want that to happen to the Kingdom when our families are here?!" He seemed panicked and Hinata felt the blade at his throat let up a little become level with his chin.

_Time to do something about this. _

In a split second, the Knight had grabbed his knife and stabbed the man's leg. He cried out in pain and backed away, dropping his sword onto the floor in shock as Hinata swiftly and skilfully threw the knife at the man who was still threatening Kageyama with the sharp blade and the knight successfully punctured his throat; effectively staining the King and his clothing with warm blood. Although he was sure they could afford to replace some blood-stained nightwear.

The redhead then snatched the sword that was now lying on the floor next to him, forgotten by the now bleeding man at his side. The rage returned to him, replacing the previous panic and he moved forward with the sword. The sharp metal impaled the man's body and he left the weapon in the traitor as he dodged the swipes of the remaining two men. He moved back, jumping on to the bed and roundhouse kicking one of the two men's heads- hearing a crack that indicated that he was done for. As the last man stared in shock for a couple of seconds, he moved back toward Kageyama who had just retrieved the throwing knife from the nearby body. The King passed it to his Knight and he delivered a final stab to the last man's side, having dodged the ungraceful attacks that came his way.

After the last man fell to the ground, blood running out onto the floor and soaking anything it could reach with a crimson red. He dropped the knife and straightened up, breathing heavily. Suddenly, he was hit on the head by none other than the King.

"You idiot! What were you thinking- saying you'd take my place? You're a freaking idiot!" The red was hit once again in the same spot, causing the ache in his skull to intensify.

"And then you go and randomly stab the guy? I thought you were seriously trying to go with them in my place!" After some ragged and loud breathing from the King, he watched as the anger drained from the raven's face and exhaustion painted his features. Kageyama's forehead dropped onto the Knight's head, not caring if he was covered in blood, and let out a long and tired sigh.

"I thought you were going to be taken from…" Hinata's eyes widened slightly at the unspoken "me" and he looked down with guilt. He thought it best not to tell the King that he would have if not for the opportunity to fight back.

_Even if someone has a knife at my throat, as long as it's not through my throat, I will protect you._

They stood like that for a while, not knowing how much time had passed until they could hear sounds from the hall, indicating that the chef and butler had woken up. Another sigh from the King and he moved away, giving a small, worn-out smile to the Knight and he walked over to the wardrobe; taking out their day clothes and handing Hinata his Knight uniform. Once they had bathed and dressed, they avoided the bloodied corpses and walked out into the hall, hearing the cluttering sounds of pans and quiet laughter. Daichi and Suga were getting breakfast ready, obviously getting help from the white-haired man. Without a word, they slowly made their way to the dining hall to greet the two men, replaying last night in their minds.

_Well, at least I didn't have a nightmare._

* * *

After having informed Suga that he needed someone to clean up his room and to check that no one else had been killed, the Knight and King sat down for breakfast, not really eating the sweet pastries that had been prepared for that morning. Not even Hinata could bring himself to eat much- the incident had hit hard even though they were used to this kind of thing. The Knight now had a bandage on his neck, covering the small pinprick wound from the sword last night. Other than that, the two weren't really hurt but it concerned Kageyama that the intruders had been able to get to their room so easily. The floors above and below should be guarded, as should the doors and windows. Finding out from Suga that no one else had been killed last night, the King concluded that they guards had either been slacking or they had let the traitors through. He also cursed the fact that he had not woken up from the sound of the men entering their room. It was partly his fault for sleeping so heavily.

The two older men who were watching the two silent boys had grown concerned. They had all had a nice night and dinner, and now it was silent again- just as they thought things had gotten better.

"Suga-san," Kageyama called the butler and the white haired man turned his attention to the King. "Please prepare another room. I think Shōyō and I may need to rest a bit."

The Butler nodded at the command, looking worriedly at Daichi before leaving to prepare one of the other rooms on the floor, Daichi going back into the kitchen to clean up.

"Tobio…" The Knight spoke softly, catching the attention of the raven-haired male. "Last night, when I said all of that, I would have gone with them in your place- or died in your place if necessary. I can't lose you too; so if something like this happens again… please don't try to stop me."

Kageyama's eyes widened and he suddenly felt angry at the Knight. Did he not know how much Hinata mattered to him?

_How much does he matter to me? _The King asked his own mind, realising he didn't know the answer himself. But it didn't matter anyway, he knew that he cared for the Knight and that's all he needed to know.

"You're an idiot. If you want to do something for me then don't leave. You keep forgetting that you saved me- even if I saved you, it doesn't give you an excuse to be reckless and throw your life away." He said, managing to stay calm somehow.

"I'm your Knight, that itself, should be an excuse."

_Damn it_

Kageyama stood up, slamming his hands on the table and the sound of the dining utensils echoed throughout the room.

"You are not _just _a Knight to me. You can't do that and you _cannot _leave- not without me or in place of me." He had taken it too far, he knew, but he couldn't stop the words from leaving his mouth.

"I never said I wanted to leave you and be alone. You're… You're the only one keeping me sane, Tobio. I wouldn't… why do you think I would leave?"

"Because you tried last night!"

"They wanted to take, torture, and kill you! I don't want you to go through that as well!"

This made Kageyama's anger leave him, replaced by surprise.

_What?_

"As well?" He repeated Hinata's words curiously and he watched as the Knight tensed.

_He had been tortured? I haven't seen any evident scars… what does he mean?_

Before he could continue to confront the redhead, Suga walked into the dining room and informed them that a room was ready. He nodded at the white-haired male, walking over to the door and promising himself that he would continue this later. The Knight followed the King out the door and to the room that Suga had prepared for them- a room containing only one large bed to sleep in, but the raven-head didn't care. The door was closed and Kageyama walked toward the bed, sitting down with a tired groan. All he wanted to do was sleep at this point- he was just so exhausted, he wanted the warmth of the blankets and the warmth of… well, it's not like he was used to sleeping in the same bed as Hinata but he was comforted by his presence somehow. The redhead sat down next to him and Kageyama rested his head on the other's crown **(haha… crown) **and his eyes slid closed. He didn't want to move just yet, he wanted to stay there for a little longer and it didn't seem like the other minded. But of course, they needed to be interrupted.

"Kageyama, I'm so sorry but please- this boy, he just passed out at the front. He had apparently been asking for someone with a similar description as Hinata. He's bleeding real bad; he needs a doctor." Suga explained in a rush, his voice louder than usual and you could see the panic painted on his face.

The King opened his eyes and stared at the man for a few seconds, as though he had to decipher the words. He finally snapped out of his trance and cursed.

"Get Asahi-san here. Bring the unconscious boy into this bedroom and we'll treat him- then we'll sort this out everything else." The King gave out his orders and Suga frantically nodded, walking quickly back the way he came and Kageyama just buried his head in his hands.

_So much for getting some rest._

* * *

**Well, that was fun. So, obviously one of the new characters is Asahi but can you guess who the other one is? Sorry if it was weird- It may be a little violent at one part but I had been in class at the time and some people were annoying me XD The only consolation I had was writing this. Anyway, if there are any mistakes, please inform me and I am gonna go and study for my shitty maths exams. **

**TO BE CONTINUED**


	4. Chapter 4 - Interrogate

**Here's my new chapter! SORRY FOR THE WAIT. I was working all last week and I had to do some stuff for father's day- although I was writing in a notebook when I got the chance. Anyway, I have put in some DaiSuga with this chapter so that's just a warning for people in case they don't like that couple. **

**So please enjoy this one, it might not be as good as the others- I'm not sure... I always feel a bit nervous when I let out a chapter XD**

**Disclaimer: I still don't own Haikyuu~ **

* * *

Kageyama didn't know if this was a good idea; letting a stranger into the castle and treating his wounds. He must have been hurt for a good reason so he knew that this must be a bad idea.

_However…_

Sugawara had said that the boy knew Hinata and what he looked like. It unnerved Kageyama to know that there was someone else who knew the Knight personally. So he had allowed it. When the door was pushed fully opened, he watched as Suga and Daichi carried a boy with blood-stained clothing inside the room, laying him on the bed and thoroughly soaking the white linen with crimson red. He looked to Hinata and noticed the Knight staring at the injured boy- he was short, most likely shorter than Hinata, he had brown hair with blonde tipping on his fringe and he was obviously in a lot of pain. Asahi then entered the room, looking as much like a royal physician as he could- although, the man's hair made him look rough and his height was impressive. The man walked over to the bed and examined the wound as well as taking the temperature of the boy and checking his pulse. He placed his medical kit beside him and got out scissors, starting to cut away at the cloth that was stuck to the boy's sweating body.

"He's in bad shape, Kageyama… this wound is pretty deep." The doctor informed with a strangled voice. Although Asahi was a doctor, he had a small case of Haemophobia which made him shake and his stomach turn. Kageyama didn't know why he had the phobia, nor did he understand why a person with the fear of blood became a doctor but the man was still good at his job and the King trusted him enough- he was good friends with both Suga and Daichi.

"It doesn't matter, please do what you can." Kageyama ordered and watched as Asahi cleaned and dressed the wound; fitting on tight bandages and re-adjusting the boy so the wound wouldn't be affected by the sleeping position.

"I've given him something to help the pain- although it's not very strong so I don't know how good it will be. We haven't got something that'll help a wound as bad as that. Keep an eye on him but he should be okay. He'll be recovering for a while but he's not going to die unless the wound gets infected." Asahi informed as he packed up. As he left the room, he noticed the almost faded red mark across the King's neck. He looked at the Knight and then back to the King. He walked out, having decided it was better to leave them to it.

"I know him." Hinata said suddenly, saying nothing to follow- he was just staring at the bed.

"Where you do know him from?" The King asked carefully, curiosity almost bursting and making him almost demand that the Knight tell him everything, but he had to keep calm.

"…I knew him before I met you." Is all he answered with nothing following and Kageyama was getting more and more frustrated. He just felt as if he was getting closer and closer to finding out what happened to Hinata. It's not like he needs to know but he knew that the Knight needed to talk about it. When that finally happens, Kageyama believed that Hinata would have a weight lifted off of his shoulders; he won't feel as… whatever the redhead was feeling now. He didn't exactly know what was going on in the Knight's head but he just wanted Hinata to let it go- he wanted him to live a nice and kind life. He didn't know if he could grant that wish but he was going to try his hardest. The King sighed and turned to Suga and Daichi.

"Continue with your work, I can keep an eye on the boy." Kageyama informed and he watched the two men step forward.

"But Kageyama, you shouldn't be doing something so-" Daichi started but the King interrupted the man with a sharp tone.

"This boy is not to be trusted just yet. It doesn't matter about his condition or any previous knowledge that we have. I will monitor him and take responsibility. I'll get you if I need you and I have Shōyō here in case of something happening. You needn't worry- please return to your respective duties." His sharp tone had turned gentle; reminding himself that the two men were just worried about them.

"…Alright Kageyama; Just be careful- I know that you two are still sleep deprived." Sugawara spoke for both himself and Daichi, acknowledging the fact that Kageyama was adamant on watching over the injured boy. They walked out and Kageyama slid down the wall, landing in a sitting position on the stone floor. The Knight, after a minute, followed the motion and sat next to the King. He saw Hinata yawn and he couldn't help a small smile gracing his lips.

"Why don't you sleep for a bit? I'll wake you up if something happens." Kageyama offered and Hinata nodded, obviously exhausted enough to take the proposal.

"Here, lie down on my lap, it won't be comfortable if you sleep sitting up." The redhead nodded once again and lay down, yawning and rubbing one of his eyes.

"Nishinoya Yuu." He heard the Knight mutter and his eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"What was that?" The King asked, wanting to know what was on the other boy's mind.

"The boy… his name is Nishinoya Yuu." Hinata informed before his eyelids slowly slid closed and Kageyama heard his breathing even out.

The raven-haired boy sighed and stroked the Knight's silky orange hair and leaned his head back, closing his eyes to rest them.

_I want to know more_

* * *

Kageyama hadn't fallen asleep but he had been so close. The warmth on is lap and the silk hair in his hand; stroking Hinata's hair made him feel relaxed and calm- so he was startled when he heard the ruffling of sheets. He opened his eyes to see 'Nishinoya' sitting up, seemingly in pain as he was clutching his side where the treated wound was.

"I wouldn't sit up if I were you. Your wound is quite deep and only just stopped bleeding. We wouldn't want it to start up again." Kageyama warned and he watched as the boy on the bed jumped at the sudden voice, his head snapping toward the King and Knight, the redhead not having awoken yet.

"K-King- Why are you watching over me?" His eyes then moved to Hinata and he gasped. "Hinata… That's Hinata Shōyō, right?"

His question was directed at the King and the royal sighed, holding his hand up to stop the boy from questioning him more.

"I am here because I heard that you knew of my Knight's appearance and I wanted to make sure you weren't here for… the wrong reasons." Kageyama explained but before Nishinoya could say anything, Hinata stirred on Kageyama's lap, obviously having been bothered by all the talking going on, and he slowly opened his eyes. When the brown orbs caught sight of the awakened boy on the bed, he did something that was unexpected.

Hinata stood up and swiftly but gracefully walked over to the bed, taking one of the hidden knives from one of the small pockets located in various places in throughout his Knight uniform. When he was near Nishinoya, he took the knife and held it at the injured boy's throat, Hinata's eyes holding hate at that moment.

"What are you doing here; Are you here to kill the King?" The Knight pressed for an answer but surprisingly, Nishinoya laughed at the redhead's actions.

"Wow, you've changed, Hinata! No, I'm not here to kill the King if that's all you wanted to know- I've never even killed someone." He smiled and Kageyama commanded the Knight to stand own. The raven-haired boy stood up and walked over to join Hinata and he stared at the boy who now had a curious look painted across his face- probably because he wasn't sure why the King was walking toward him so suddenly.

"Your name is 'Nishinoya Yuu'?" Kageyama enquired and the boy just smiled again.

"Yep- I'm sorry for not introducing myself properly- and you can just call me 'Noya'"

"Hmm, Alright; So Noya, why is it that you're here?" The King asked calmly- not sensing anything dangerous from the boy so far.

"Oh well, that's a long story but- long story short- I heard about some rumours of the 'Orange Crow' and I couldn't think of anyone else that had orange hair like Hinata's, and since he had disappeared I was curious to see if it was him." He explained and the King nodded.

"Okay… and the reason you're injured?"

"Uh, _well… _these guys I know sort of jumped me on my way here and got a good hit-" He was about to continue but the raven-haired boy cut him off.

"Got a good hit? You were stabbed." Kageyama deadpanned.

"I've had worse!" Noya declared, and the fact that the boy was trying to brush off his serious wound as nothing was making him reconsider his judgement.

"How have you had worse?"

"Well, my line of work is very dangerous." He replied, carefully, probably tentative about sharing his personal details.

"And what line of work is this?" Kageyama pushed, wanting to get as much information as he could. He made sure to still be cautious just in case of a sudden attack- although he was sure Hinata could handle something like that, he didn't want to be unprepared. He didn't expect a burst of laughter from the boy and he watched as Noya proudly point at himself and shouted his answer, making Kageyama's eyes widen slightly.

"I'm a thief; Although, I'm still not that experienced which is why I keep getting hurt! Oh, but don't worry- I won't steal from you and Hinata. I only steal from bad people so I have no ill intentions here." He reassured.

"You're being… very honest." Kageyama observed, not knowing exactly how he should react with this boy.

"Well… you let me in, treated my wounds and then personally watched over me- I feel as though I should at least answer your questions truthfully."

"Mm, so your intentions were to see if the rumour was true about an orange-haired boy living in the castle as a guard for the King- you suspected it to be Shōyō and on the way to the castle, you were ambushed by some previous victims of your thievery and you were stabbed- but you continued to the castle anyway because…" He trailed off, expecting Noya to fill in the gaps, which he did.

"Because I was already almost here, I thought it was a better decision to finish my trip here- Although, I was a little worried about it because there are a lot of people who dislike you, King Tobio. I don't know why though- it seems to me like you're a kind person- judging from the fact that I'm not dead yet- unless you have done something to me." He laughed at the thought but Kageyama was just surprised at the fact that he had just been called kind.

"No… All we have done is treat your wounds." He answered the suspicion simply.

"Oh! Speaking of that, I want to thank whoever treated me. Without all of you, I'd be in pretty bad shape."

Kageyama watched the other smile at him and he glanced at his Knight, seeing that the redhead wasn't showing any emotion which meant that the redhead did not yet trust Nishinoya.

_Who is this person- I want to know everything… I need to know everything._

* * *

Sugawara and Daichi were working in the kitchen, both of them worried about the injured boy that was with the King and Knight.

"Hey Daichi, maybe we should make some food for lunch that will help replenish blood- just in case the King deems him safe in the castle."

"I already though of that but do you think the King would even _let _him eat with him. He only lets us eat with him because he trusts us- but this boy is a stranger. I doubt he would let him eat my food at the main table." Daichi explained and he watched as Suga looked down sadly.

"I just don't think that's he's a bad person. And he's injured… and the fact that he came here means that he might not have anywhere else to go." A small smile showed up on Daichi's lips and he went over to the white-haired man, his hand tilting Suga's chin up.

"You're jumping to conclusions again Koushi." The black haired man used the other's first name- only using it at times where they're being extra affectionate or when one of them is upset (although Suga uses 'Daichi' casually.)

"Mm, I know… I just can't help it. I'm used to looking after people around me, especially if they're hurt." Suga admitted, but it was unnecessary- Daichi knew everything already.

"It's okay to care. I just want you to remember that you can't help everybody- you can't take care of everybody." The other man warned and Suga smiled at him.

"That is something that I'll remember." He gave the chef a chaste kiss and laughed lightly, Daichi watching that beautiful and kind smile grace the butler's lips. The dark-haired man sighed to himself, knowing that he always gave in to the other.

"But I guess we could make something that will help the others become healthier… we'll have some red meat and stuff, how does that sound?"

"Thank you Daichi, I can always count on you." He rested his forehead against the other's and the chef smiled, falling victim to Suga's affection.

"That's what boyfriends are for." Daichi said, now blushing from his own words.

"Mmhmm, that's what boyfriends are for- but they also exist for other things~" The white-haired man announced suggestively and he caught the other's lips with his own once again.

"Wai- not in the kitchen, we need to cook lunch." The chef reluctantly stopped the other by placing a hand on Suga's chest.

"I know, I was just kidding. It's fun to tease you Dai-chan." The butler sang the last sentence and the other man sighed at the use of his childhood nickname.

"I'm not a kid anymore- you shouldn't be using that nickname."

"But it's such a cute name; and it makes you blush so it's fun to use." Sugawara continued his teasing and laughed at the other's reactions.

"You're impossible." Daichi stated, knowing that it was hopeless to go against a playful Suga.

"And that's one of the reasons you love me." The chef smiled at this and shook his head at his boyfriend.

"Yes, that's one of the reasons I love you. Now, let's get some lunch ready."

"Good idea. I'm sure everyone's hungry now- I noticed that the two boys didn't eat much this morning."

"Yep, and I had worked hard on those pastries too. It's a shame." Daichi stated jokingly, wanting the other to not get too worried. He knew how much his boyfriend cared about others. After all…

_He knows the feeling when there's no one to care- the feeling of loneliness is a cruel thing._

* * *

Back in the room, Nishinoya had gone back to sleep. Talking so much had really made him tired and he was still healing, Kageyama was surprised that he had woken up- let alone staying awake for so long. The Knight and King had gone back to their previous position against the wall, Hinata not sleeping but Kageyama still playing with the orange hair- making both the Knight and the King relax. They were both still tired but neither could sleep at the moment and so they had just sat there with their thoughts.

"You don't trust him, Shōyō." Kageyama stated, wanting to understand why exactly the redhead was not trusting the injured boy. Hinata hesitated at first but finally explained himself to the King.

"He's hiding something from us. Nishinoya… was my neighbour. I used to play with him when I was able to get out of the house but I don't understand how he could be here. He's only a year older- and his parents are really demanding. I don't think they would have just let him leave- and without money as well." Kageyama thought about the explanation and sighed.

"Well, we'll just have to find out then, won't we?" He said and Hinata nodded, closing his eyes to relax more, the King's finger's feeling comforting as they played with his hair. He didn't know why but he really liked it when Kageyama did this- it just made him so calm and happy. It made him forget about things that he didn't want to remember.

"In the meantime though… we need to make sure he heals up." Kageyama muttered, mostly to himself but Hinata was able to hear it.

"I don't trust him yet but I can watch him for you." The Knight told the royal and he nodded at the words.

"I trust you to protect me. We'll keep a very close eye on him, alright?"

"Alright; I don't mind him as long as he doesn't hurt you, Daichi-san or Suga-san." Hinata confirmed simply. He didn't care about how he knew Noya before. Things change, morals change, behaviours change…

_People change_

* * *

**And there you go. Please inform me if there are any mistakes because then i can fix it up and if you have a problem with the chapter itself that you can inform me of that as well if you like. I've got a lot of stuff going on at school in the next two weeks so I'm not sure when I'll get my next chapter in but I hope to get through it sooner than three weeks- If I'm that late then I am very sorry.**


	5. Chapter 5 - Unease

**IT'S SO LATE I KNOW- but I have finished it now and I hope it isn't too terrible #.#**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Haikyuu!**

* * *

The sun had just started to set and Hinata remained in the same place as before; resting his head on the King's lap. The hand in his hair had ceased its movement a while ago when Kageyama had fallen asleep suddenly.

To say that Hinata didn't want to fall asleep again along with the King would be a lie; however, the knight knew he needed to watch the injured boy across the room in the bed who was currently sleeping. He wouldn't wake the King until he absolutely needed to- is what he told himself at first, but the hand in his hair suddenly tightened and painfully pulled the patch of silky orange strands. Hinata winced and looked up; knowing that there was a possibility that the King was experiencing a nightmare again. If so, the redhead would need to wake him like the King always did for him.

The King had never failed to wake him up when he was suffering from a nightmare- Kageyama probably understanding how horrible; how lonely it is to not have someone there to wake you up and calm you down.

Hinata thought back to the other night, now looking to see how the mark on the other's neck was. The mark was hardly visible now and a small upturn of his lips appeared at that fact. He had not yet forgiven himself- the redhead doubting that he ever could forgive himself for something like that- but he knew that the King had forgiven him and that was what mattered.

He then thought about the way Kageyama had helped him recover from his attack and he felt a little embarrassed about the whole ordeal; realising that yes, his lips had touched the King's own- not to mention the chaste kiss he had given the other. He didn't even think about it at that time. He had just had the urge to kiss the raven-haired as an apology and to wish him a goodnight like he had always done when he was younger.

The Knights train of thought was lost as the grip on his hair tightened once again. He looked over to the King and frowned.

_He's having a nightmare_, the Knight sighed at the conclusion. He knew that he needed to wake the raven-haired boy. Attempting to ignore the pain coursing throughout his body originating from the stinging on his scalp, he twisted so he was still lying down but facing the King properly.

Honestly, Hinata had never needed to wake anyone from a nightmare before. He was unable to move easily with the grip on his hair so he realised he'd need to awaken the King without moving too much. Unsure of how Kageyama usually attempted this, the Knight had to improvise. He started by trying to shake him awake; it was difficult because the grip on his hair would tighten and move with the rest of Kageyama's upper body. The redhead ignored the pain but after a while of trying to shake the other awake, he realised it wasn't working with that move alone as all the King had done in response was move with the motion and mutter something every now and then. Hinata could only think to now call to the raven-haired boy and saw the other's furrowed brow relax a little. He continued to call, careful not to be too loud in case he's wake up the injured boy in the room.

The King started to stir and his eyes fluttered open, his eyes moving to the hand in the Knight's hair. The redhead felt the hold on his hair loosen immediately and the black orbs turned to his own eyes. Kageyama sighed, bringing his free hand up to his eyes and softly rubbing them.

"I was having a nightmare." Hinata wasn't sure if Kageyama was asking him or stating it but Hinata nodded anyway.

"Did anything happen whilst I was asleep?" He asked looking over to the injured thief on the bed.

"No, nothing occurred." The Knight informed and he couldn't help but feel relieved that the King had finally awoken.

Suddenly, there was a knock and the two boys looked over to the entrance, finding Suga at the door.

"Suga-san." Kageyama greeted the butler, only now noticing that it was dark outside.

"Is dinner ready Suga-san?" Hinata asked suddenly, the King almost chuckling at the sudden enthusiasm. He saw Sugawara smile- but noticed the silver-haired male's eyes wondering over to the bed.

Kageyama's eyes trailed over to Noya to find the boy stirring awake, most likely from the loud conversation. Hinata immediately changed into a defensive mode, despite the previous history with Noya and the King once again wondered how and why the boy could so easily distrust a previous ally.

_Then again, I should be doing the same._

* * *

As soon as Nishinoya awoke, Suga left the room- most likely going to fetch something for the boy to drink. Hinata just stared at the boy, standing in front of Kageyama protectively. Noya just looked tired- presumably from all the blood-loss and long hours of sleep. Although he was injured, the boy still managed a smile; however, he was unable to sit up just yet. Kageyama assumed the earlier awakening and talk had been due to an adrenaline rush.

At the moment, the King was trying to figure out what to do next- now that the boy was awake they'd have to take action. Kageyama should either kick him out or let him stay- and he wasn't keen on the former; however, the latter would cause quite a bit of trouble. Sugawara suddenly re-entered the room with a jug of water and he went to Noya's side and the King sighed.

"Shōyō, please come with me." He asked softly, careful not to interrupt Suga's mothering session. Hinata just nodded and followed the other as the raven-haired male made his way outside of the room.

"What do you think of him for now- Should we keep him around?" He asked the Knight and the redhead frowned slightly. The King knew that the other boy must have found this odd but Kageyama trusted the Knight's instincts.

"Well since you're asking… I don't know if you want to kick him out at the moment- It seems Suga-san and Daichi-san might argue against that," The King smiled at the fact that Hinata had already realised how the others work. Kageyama already knew about the past of the two older boys, agreeing with a slight nod of his head. "And I think that we should find out exactly why he's here. I don't think Nishinoya-san would risk coming here just for curiosity..."

Kageyama thought about it for a few seconds, wondering if what he was gonna do would really be the best thing to do, but he just shrugged after a while and nodded to himself.

"We'll keep him here, heal him and ask him some questions for now. We'll decide how to proceed after we've found out some more. Be on the lookout just in case." He ordered the other but he doubted he'd need to- the look in Hinata's eyes showed him that he needn't remind him.

_The look in his eyes is just like that night._

* * *

"Please Kageyama- just for tonight." The Butler begged.

"I don't think it's a good idea."

"But we've made some extra food for him- you won't even notice him at the table."

"I will not have a stranger at the main table, Suga-san- I'm sorry. We're still not sure if we can trust him." He watched the white-haired boy sigh hopelessly and nod. The King unwillingly felt bad and he touched the butler's shoulder gently.

"You can give him the food that you and Daichi worked hard to make though. I know that you two were worried about him." The white-haired male's eyes brightened suddenly and he nodded.

"Mm, I've been looking after kids for most of my life so it's something that comes naturally."

"Nishinoya-san is only a year younger than you though Suga-san." Hinata interrupted from next to Kageyama, the boy only having just walked over to the King's side.

Both Sugawara and Kageyama looked at him in surprise.

"Eh? Isn't Nishinoya-san younger than that?" the butler asked, urging the truth out of the Knight.

The redhead simply shook his head and Suga looked a bit disorientated. Kageyama could relate to that at the moment as well; Nishinoya did not look as if he was a year older.

"Well it doesn't matter. He's still a person who needs our help. I'll get Daichi to make a plate for him. Thank you Kageyama." Suga thanked the King and left to the kitchen, but Kageyama stopped him with a call of his name before he could get there.

"Oh and Suga-san, please arrange that someone watch over him at all times- someone we can trust." The raven-haired boy commanded and the butler nodded before making his way toward the kitchen once again.

Kageyama sat down on his chair in the dining room and sighed, holding his head in his hands and closing his eyes. He heard the Knight sit in his usual chair and they patiently waited for food. Hinata seemed to be fidgeting, most likely looking forward to Daichi's food again- Kageyama understood his anticipation. The previous chef's cooking was nowhere near as delicious as Daichi's. Kageyama was glad that the two men were there for him and Hinata- they might work for him but he was grateful for their help and company. The two had called him by 'Your Royal Highness' when he had been Prince. It made him so uncomfortable to be called by such a title- and when they tried to address him as 'Your Majesty' when he was made King, it made him shiver and he told them to just address him like they always had. He suddenly felt bad that he had been denying them lately- but he knew that what he was doing was something he needed to do.

Before long, Sugawara came in with Daichi to place the food on the table. Kageyama once again asked the two to join them and the agreed- Hinata seemed happy as they nodded their heads. It seemed that the redhead had taken a liking to the two men.

Hinata, as usual, started eating as soon as he saw food and it made both Daichi and Suga smile at the sight. Kageyama smiled to himself and got that warm feeling once again- a feeling that replaced any loneliness he was feeling. Suddenly, a thought came to the King's mind.

"Sugawara-san, who is watching over Nishinoya-san?"

"Asahi is." The butler smiled as he answered.

"Asahi-san is?" Kageyama repeated it as a question, surprised; Asahi usually disappeared after treating someone. The King hardly ever saw him; he knew that the doctor was good friends with Suga and Daichi but he doesn't know much else. Asahi could be a very daunting person but he was always surprisingly nice- and he got nervous easily.

"Yes; I asked him and he said it would be fine."

The King nodded, trusting that Asahi would do fine whilst watching over the injured thief. When Kageyama looked around the table, finding that the two men had actually made a really amazing meal. There was lots of meats, cheese, fruits and vegetables- a feast before them. Daichi looked very happy with himself as even Sugawara couldn't help but eat a little faster in effort to taste it all. Kageyama continued to eat as Daichi and Suga continued to tease each other freely- the chef telling the butler that he had food on his face when he didn't and so on. The careless banter and the great food kept the King at ease, forgetting about all that had happened and forgetting his tiredness.

Suddenly, Hinata tapped the raven's hand that was resting on the table. Kageyama looked over to the redhead and he automatically understood the look Hinata was giving him- it was the look he gave him when he was uncomfortable. Now, why the Knight was uncomfortable he didn't know but he understood nonetheless and excused himself and the other boy for a minute. Suga and Daichi looked curious but they didn't push and they continued to talk amongst themselves as him and Hinata walked out of the room.

"What's wrong?" the Kageyama asked and the other looked down.

"I have… a bad feeling." He answered hesitantly and the King frowned.

"What kind of bad feeling?"

It took a while for the Knight to finally speak. His face had swapped to different emotions and it seemed as though it was almost painful to say. This made Kageyama believe that the other was serious about this.

"I think… It's a feeling that… The last time I had this feeling…" The Knight struggled to get the words out.

Kageyama sighed and placed his hand on Hinata's head, his fingers running through the silky orange strands and he gently pull on them to make the Knight look at him.

"It's fine; tell me, Shōyō." He said slowly and the redhead gave a slow nod.

"The last time I had this feeling… someone died."

_Let's hope that bad feeling was just a stomach ache_

* * *

**I know that it's not as long as my others but I PROMISE TO MAKE IT UP.**


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